Paneer pulao

My mom loves paneer and I cant stop myself enjoying a paneer dish, this dish is a frequent guest at our home...

Ingredients

Basmati rice : 250 gms

Paneer/Indian cheese : 150 gms

Bay leaves : 2 nos

Star anise : 1 

Mace/javitri : 1 

Cloves : 4 nos

Cinnamon stick : 2 (1" stick)

Green cardamom : 2 (powder the seeds)

Shahi jeera : 1 tsp

Onion : 1 medium

Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tbsp

Mint leaves : fistful

Coriander leaves : few

Green chillies : 2 nos (adjust to taste)

Salt : to taste

Oil/butter : 1 tbsp

Method

Rinse and soak basmati rice for 30 mins. Drain the rice and keep it aside. 

In a pan add oil when hot add bay leaves, shahi jeera, star anise, mace/javitri, cloves, cinnamon stick, green cardamom and fry for a minute. Then add finely chopped onion, chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste fry till onions are golden brown. In a non-stick pan add oil and slightly fry paneer and keep them aside.

Add water (I added 250 ml water, 1;1 ratio water for soaked basmati rice). when water starts boiling add drained rice, salt, mint leaves and stir well, cook on low flame until rice is cooked. Turn off the flame and add paneer pieces gently stir. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with salan or raita.

*I use electric rice cooker to cook pulao and biryani which makes my job much easier.

Fried rice

My Saturday evening dinner, Hot and spicy rice with all goodies. ENJOY

Ingredients

Rice : 250 gms
Onions : 1 medium
Mushrooms : 4 medium
Carrots : 1 medium
Egg : 2
Garlic : 2 pods
Soy sauce : 2-3 tablespoon
Chillie sauce : 1 tablespoons
Tomato ketchup : 1 teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Pepper : to taste
Spring onions : to garnish
Oil : 1 tablespoon

Procedure

In a pan scramble egg and keep aside. Cook rice and let it cool as it should not be sticky. In a wok/pan add oil when warm add chopped garlic saute for 30 sec, add cubed onions, sliced carrots, cubed mushrooms and saute for 5 mins. Add soy sauce, chillie sauce, tomato ketchup, scrambled egg and saute for 2 mins then add rice check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary, increase the flame saute for 1 min and remove from heat. Garnish with spring onions.

TIPS:

1. I always use leftover rice as it is not sticky.
2. Add less salt and pepper as soy sauce and chillie sauce have them already.

Hyderabadi biryani

Chicken Pakki biryani, made in HYDERABAD

Ingredients

For  chicken

Chicken : 1 kg (boned or boneless)

Cumin seeds : 2 teaspoon

Cloves : 6 nos

Cardamon : 4 nos

Cinnamon sticks : 3 sticks

Mace (Javetri) : 3 nos

Garam masala powder : 1 tablespoon

Coriander powder : 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice : 2 tablespoons

Yoghurt (Curd) : 200 gms

Chillie powder : 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)

Pepper powder : 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tablespoons

Coriander leaves : 1 fistful

Mint leaves : 1 fistful

Onions : 1 big (sliced, golden fried)

Green chillies : 2 nos (slit)

Salt : to taste

Oil : 4 tablespoons

For rice

Rice : 750 kg

Bay leaves : 2 nos

Star anise : 2 nos

Cloves : 10 nos

Cardamom : 4 nos

Cinnamon sticks : 3 nos

Mace (Javetri) : 2 nos

Water : 1 liter

Salt : 2 tablespoons

Oil : 3 tablespoons

Layering
Corainder leaves : 2 fist full

Mint leaves :  2 fist full

Onions : 2 big (sliced, golden fried)

Saffron food color : 1/4 teaspoon

Procedure

1. In a bowl take chicken pieces add ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander leaves, yoghurt (curd), lemon juice, slit green chillies, pepper powder, cumin seeds, chillie powder, turmeric, salt, coriander powder, whole garam masala dry (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, mace (javetri)), garam masala powder, fried onions and oil. Mix them well and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour. After 1 hour in a pan add the marinated chicken and cook until done.
2. In a bowl add water, salt, oil, bay leaves, star anise, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, mace (javetri) and bring it to boil add rice, when the rice is half done remove the whole garam masala using a spatula and cook until rice is 90% done drain the water. Immediately start setting layers of chicken and rice.
3. In a thick bottomed dish apply oil at the bottom and spread 1/4 amount of rice, 1/4 amount of chicken, fried onions, mint and coriander leaves, and then with rice and chicken and continue layering rice and chicken alternatively and end with the layer of rice on top add saffron color mixed in water, roasted almonds/cashew nuts mint and coriander leaves. close the lid. Place a frying pan on the stove and place this dish on the pan and leave it on a medium low flame for 15-20 min.  Serve hot with raita. 

In hyderabadi style serve with mirchi ka salon.

Tips

1. Adding salt to the water in which you cook rice is essential, or else the whole taste of Biryani will be lost. 
2. If you have forgotten to add salt to the water while boiling rice is – stir the required amount of salt in a little quantity of hot water, about half cup or a few tablespoons, and pour this on the biryani evenly. Warm the biryani in microwave and serve immediately.
3. The pan kept under the bowl should be a bit bigger or equal size of the bowl for even distribution of heat.

Egg biryani

Bored making chicken/mutton biryani? try this easy egg biryani, a quick dinner on a rainy day.

Ingredients

Rice : 500 gms
Eggs : 4
Onions : 1 big
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon
Yoghurt (curd): 100 gms
Lemon juice : 1 tablespoon
Shaahi Jeera/ cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Bay leaves : 2 nos
Cinnamon stick : 2 sticks (1 " each)
Cardamon : 3 nos
Cloves : 4 nos
Mint : 1 fist full
Coriander : 1 fist full
Green chillies : 3 nos (adjust to taste)
Garam masala : 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder : 1 teaspoons
Salt : to taste
Oil : 3 tablespoons

To coat eggs

Chillie powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Egg : 1
Salt : to taste

Procedure

Boil eggs, shell the boiled eggs and give four long cuts on the white portion of each egg without separating it. In a small bowl add red chillie powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, 1 egg and make paste, coat the boiled eggs with egg with this paste. In a pan add 1 tablespoon oil when warm add the coated eggs and remaining egg mixture fry until until the eggs get coated with spices and the omelette is cooked. Remove the eggs and set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add Shaahi jeera (can substitute with cumin seeds), bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamoms and cloves and sauté for one minute. Add the onions and sauté till soft. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté till fragrant. Add yoghurt (curd), garam masala powder, coriander powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chillies and continue to sauté for two minutes longer. Add water and salt, when the water comes to a boil, add the rice and mix well. Cover and cook over high heat for five minutes. Lower heat and continue to cook for ten minutes, or till the rice is done and all the moisture has been absorbed. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle lemon juice, add the boiled eggs and cover for 5 mins. Serve hot with Raita.

Peas pulao

Served this with my Green chicken masala, my buddies loved it and me too.

Ingredients

Rice : 500 gms
Green peas: 150 gms
Onions : 1 small
Ginger garlic paste : 1 teaspoon
Mint leaves : 5 leaves
Green chillies : 1
Cinnamon stick : 2 sticks (1" each)
Green cardamom : 3 nos
Cloves : 4 nos
Bay leaf : 2 leaves
Oil : 1 tablepoon
Salt : to taste

Procedure

In a deep bottomed dish (enough to cook rice) add oil once hot add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, allow to sizzle. Add sliced onions, slit green chillie sauce for 5 mins till transparent,add ginger garlic paste saute for 2 mins. Add green peas sauce for 2 more mins, add salt, drop mint leaves, water and bring it to boil then add washed and drained rice lower the flame and place lid. Cook until the rice and peas are cooked. 

Serve hot with vegetable korma or any non-veg curry.

TIPS: 

1. You can use Basmati rice or any other rice. Adjust the proportion of water according to packing instructions. I added 1:1 1/2 ration for rice and water (eg: For eg: For 100 gms rice 150 ml water).
2. You can either use fresh or frozen peas.